


The True Story of Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, as told by Ramona Badwolf

by dragons_SRSunn



Category: Ever After High, Ever After High Series - Shannon Hale
Genre: Dialogue-Only, Ramona and Justine having a DMC in their dorm room in the middle of the night, mentions of Cerise Hood, mentions of Little Red Riding Hood, mentions of Mr. Badwolf, mentions of random characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:14:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26196223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragons_SRSunn/pseuds/dragons_SRSunn
Summary: Basically what the title says.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 42





	The True Story of Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, as told by Ramona Badwolf

**Author's Note:**

> This is really written by a friend who was too embarrassed to get her own account so I'm posting it for her. It's not my work, but it is amazing!!!
> 
> (Btw, it's the same friend as the other ones)  
> (P.S: She's a rrrrrrrreally good writer, this one is Ever After High which you probably know because of the tags, but it's a really good insight so read it)

Once upon a time-you know, Justine, I always found that phrase a bit ironic. "Once upon a time," like the story happened a long time ago instead of being repeated every generation. Don't you think it's ironic?

_I don't know, Ramona, I never really thought about it. But you were going to tell me something?_

Yeah.

_Something top secret that I could never tell anyone else unless you say so, not even my sisters, you said._

Yes...

_It's okay if you've changed your mind. You don't have to tell me whatever your secret is._

No. No, I do want to tell you, it's just...you can't tell anyone. And don't hate me.

_What? Ramona, why would I hate you?_

You'll see when I finish. Just-try not to.

_If this is about me being a Royal again-_

It's not just because you're a Royal. Even if you were a Rebel, it would still be-I mean, this is major-destiny-can I start already?

_You were the one who-okay, fine. Start._

So, once upon a time there was a little girl named Red Riding Hood. She was called that because she always wore a red riding cloak with a hood. One day she went deep into the woods with a basket of food to bring to her grandmother.

_I know the Red Riding Hood story, Ramona. It's your father's story._

I didn't finish yet, Justine. Anyway, so she was in the forest and stepped off the path and met a Wolf. And the wolf-were spoke to her-

_The wolf-were? Don't you mean werewolf?_

Who's the Wolf here, me or you? A werewolf is a human that can turn into a wolf. A wolf-were is a wolf that can turn into a human-like my father, although he spends most of his time in human form.

_And like you._

Besides, werewolves don't exist.

_They don't? I thought I heard Cupid mention something about werewolves the other day, although she changed the subject when I asked her._

She probably got confused with wolf-weres. Anyway, the Wolf, in his human form, asked Red Riding Hood, "Where are you going?" And she told him, "I'm bringing a basket of food to my grandmother." 

_Wait. You know, I never really thought in-depth about this story before...or any story really, besides my own. But how old is Red Riding Hood here? Isn't "don't talk to strangers" basically the first rule parents teach their kids?_

I don't know how old the first Red Riding Hood was. All the other ones would have talked to the Wolf because it was part of the script, but the first one...maybe she was bored, or lonely. Maybe her parents never taught her that rule. Or maybe she was braver than the average child.

 _Yeah, but to talk to a_ Wolf _!_

Well, he was in human form at the time.

_But she would have seen him transforming, right? Hey, why are you sticking up for Red Riding Hood? Don't you hate each other?_

Let me finish, Justine. So the Wolf says, "There's some pretty flowers over there. Why don't you pick some to bring to your grandmother?" So Red Riding Hood stepped off the path-

_A big no-no._

Yup. Especially now. You know, what with the whole thing about following the script, I can't believe we have a story about going off the path.

_Well, but it's part of the script._

True. Anyway, back to the story. Red Riding Hood stepped off the path and began to pick flowers. Meanwhile, the Wolf went to her grandmother's house-

 _Hey, how did your father know where her house_ was?

This Wolf wasn't my father. I told you, this was the first Red Riding Hood. This was the first Red Riding Hood and the first Big Bad Wolf and the first Huntsman, right after he pretended to kill Snow White. This was the original Red Riding Hood story, generations and generations ago. Each story repeats itself through the generations, over and over-

 _I_ know _that, Ramona. Every fairytale knows that. My family is currently on their eighth or ninth generation of dancing princesses, I think. So this was the very first Big Bad Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood?_

Yes, hundreds of years ago.

_Fine, but how did the Wolf know where the grandmother's house was?_

Maybe he just followed the path. Anyway, so he went in the house and apparently somehow managed to swallow the grandmother whole without killing her. Then he got in the bed and hid under the blanket, just in time for Red Riding Hood to walk in.

_Wait, how'd she get there so fast? He just left her picking flowers like two minutes ago! And Wolves can run a lot faster than humans, if you're any indication._

I don't know, maybe the flowers were right by the house or something.

_But not close enough for Red to see the Wolf go in?_

Apparently not. You know, nowadays we don't even need flowers to lure her off the path-we just use any excuse, and she has to go off, because that's the story.

_Well, Cerise is a Rebel, and so are you, aren't you? Even though you never come to the Rebel meetings? So maybe your story will be different._

Yes....Maybe. But back to the story. Red Riding Hood looked at her supposed grandmother and said, "Oh, Grandmother, what big eyes you have!"

_Wait._

Yes?

_The Wolf was in human form, right?_

The general consensus is that the Wolf turned into human form after swallowing the grandmother, yes. Why?

_So how did the Wolf have such big eyes if he was in human form now?_

Well, many Wolves still have some Wolfish traits even when they're in human form. My father has a cousin who has really sharp teeth and is very hairy, even in human form.

_Oh, and like you with your wolf ears when you're in human form!_

Yes...me with my ears.

_What?_

Nothing.

_Hey, you know, I've never seen you as a wolf. How come you're never a wolf in front of people? I've seen your father as a wolf, but never you._

Because. Stop asking questions. Now, the Wolf said to Red Riding Hood, "The better to see you with, my dear!" And she said, "Oh, Grandmother, what big ears you have!" To which the Wolf said, "The better to hear you with, my dear!" And Red Riding Hood said, "Oh, Grandmother, what big teeth you have!" The Wolf replied, "The better to eat you with, my dear!" and leaped out of bed and swallowed her whole. A huntsman-Hunter's great-great-something-grandfather-,fresh from killing a boar to present its heart to his queen in lieu of her stepdaughter's, heard Red Riding Hood scream, ran into the house, and split the Wolf's stomach open with his axe. Red Riding Hood and her grandmother spilled out, alive and well. The Wolf was dead, and everyone went home and lived happily ever after. For that generation.

_Because then their children had to fulfill the story too, right?_

Right. Red Riding Hood had a daughter named Crimson, who went to Ever After High and fulfilled her destiny, along with the Huntsman's son-Chaser, I think his name was- and the Wolf.

_Wait._

What?

_If this Wolf, the first Big Bad Wolf, was killed by the Huntsman, then how..._

How could he have a child who would become the next Big Bad Wolf?

_Yeah._

He didn't.

_What?_

He didn't have a child. Every generation, unless the previous Big Bad Wolf has survived, a Wolf pup is chosen to become the next Big Bad Wolf, fulfill his destiny, and most likely die.

_And most...But...They...Um. They just pick any random Wolf then?_

They try to pick one of the bigger, stronger, Wolf pups, but yes. It's not like it can run in families, what with the Big Bad Wolf being killed almost every generation.

_What about when the Wolf survives, like your father?_

Then that Wolf's child becomes the next Big Bad Wolf, like me. And there was another case, about a hundred years ago...

_Another case?_

The first Big Bad Wolf to survive the Red Riding Hood story. My father was the second. This Wolf's name was Malclaw Wolf.

_Malclaw?_

Basically the Wolf version of Malcolm.

 _Oh. Malclaw, Malcolm....I see._

Anyway, so Malclaw was chosen as a young pup to become the next Big Bad Wolf. He grew up and fulfilled his destiny, and became famous-among Wolves, at least-for being the first Big Bad Wolf to survive the Huntsman's axe, although he was badly wounded. Possibly the Huntsman helped him-we have records showing they were somewhat friendly. He recovered, married, had a child. Then, about two years after the birth of his son, he discovered that he-the son-would be forced to become the next Big Bad Wolf.

_He didn't know that before?_

Well, remember that Malclaw was the first Big Bad Wolf to survive. There would have been no precedence for what would happen to his son.

_I guess so._

So, as soon as Malclaw found this out, he and his wife took their son and tried to run away.

_Wouldn't that be dangerous?_

Why?

_Well, with a young child, on the run to who-knows-where....Also, if the son wouldn't sign the book when it was his turn to, then he would disappear._

Which Raven disproved by not signing and continuing to exist.

_Yeah, but they didn't know that a hundred years ago!_

I guess they figured it was better than the alternative. I mean, if he _did_ sign the book and fulfill his destiny, then he would die, or at best be severely injured.

_Oh...yeah. So...where did they run away to?_

We don't know. They never made it. The next records we have of them are of the death of Malclaw Wolf and his wife, Argenta Wolf, and of the adoption of their son. Rumors that the Grimms had something to do with Malclaw's and Argenta's deaths were never proven.

_Ramona. What are you implying?_

I'm not implying anything. I'm just saying what I know. Anyway, so the son grew up, fulfilled his destiny, and was killed by the Huntsman, like so many before him.

_Is this your secret? That Headmaster Grimm might have had something to do with the death of your ancestor?_

Malclaw's not my ancestor. I told you, his son was killed by the Huntsman. But it's part of it-part of why we stay hidden.

_Who's "we"? The Wolves?_

No. Well, sort of. You'll see.

_How can you just...say that?_

Say what? "You'll see?"

_Not that! Accuse our headmaster of murder!_

It's not like I straight-out accused him of murder. I just mentioned unproven rumors. Besides, it's not like other people have never-rightfully-accused him of doing terrible things. Remember that time Raven got up in the castleteria and said it was Headmaster Grimm's fault that Wonderland got sealed off?

_Yeah, but she's Raven! She's the Evil Queen's daughter, the leader of the Rebels! She does stuff like that! You don't! I mean, you argue with most of the teachers and half of the Royals, but you can't say stuff like this!_

But it's true. Or the rumors are, at least.

_Exactly._

I see...What rumors have you heard, Justine?

_I didn't-Who said-Aren't you going to continue your story?_

You still want to hear my story? Even though I am willing to accuse our headmaster of murder?

_Well, if my story was scripted to k- to not end well, I guess I wouldn't be the headmaster's biggest fan either. And if most of the characters who played my part had...had died... then I guess I'd be pretty...yeah. Besides, your my friend, and this seems important._

I...yes, it...yeah. Thank you.

_You were saying?_

Right. So. Each generation went on, fulfilling their story, until you come to the most recent generation. My father, Bad Wolf, was-

_Wait, his name is actually Bad Wolf? I thought it was just his title._

It's both. My grandparents changed his name to Bad after he was chosen to be the next Big Bad Wolf. They thought it would be easier that way. 

_Really? What was his original name?_

I don't know. I'm not sure if even he knows. 

_Whoa._

Yes. Anyway. He was born as one of a litter of four, alongside three sisters. At the age of two, he was chosen to be the next Big Bad Wolf. His name was changed to Bad, like I said. He was always a little sad, and didn't have any friends except his family-and he was distant from even them-because who wants to get close to someone who's destined to die before age twenty? Besides you, I guess. Anyway. When he was fourteen years old, Bad Wolf was sent to Ever After High School for Future Fairytales, in the same grade as Scarlet Hood. 

_Red Riding Hood?_

Yup. Now, before I continue, you need to know that the Wolves and the Hoods of Hood Hollow _hate_ each other. It goes back centuries. Every so often, a mob of angry Hoods will go after the Wolves with torches and pitchforks, or a mob of angry Wolves will go after the Hoods with claws and teeth. 

_And no one's tried to stop it?_

Oh, people have tried. Outsiders, usually. It never works. Sometimes it just makes things worse. At this point, most people have given up.

_Who hasn't?_

I'm sorry?

_You said most people have given up. Who hasn't given up? You?_

...Yes. And a few other people.

_Who?_

You'll see. So. The only reason the Wolves and Hoods have agreed to send to of their children to the same school is because of destiny. Also, for the Hoods, because going to Ever After High starts the Wolf on his or her destiny to death. Plus, I suspect the Grimms of blackmailing both sides. Notwithstanding, the Wolf and Hood usually attempt to assassinate each other at least once while at Ever After High.

_I hope you're joking._

But Bad Wolf and Scarlet Hood weren't like that. True, they weren't friends, but they weren't enemies, either. They could even stand to be in the same class as each other. 

_Unlike Faybelle and Briar._

Faybelle and Briar?

_Yeah. Last year they were in the same math class, but Briar switched out because Faybelle kept cursing her pencils to make Briar fall asleep if she pricked her finger on the tip._

Was she trying to start their story early or something?

_I don't know. You were saying?_

Bad Wolf became roommates with Grouse Hood, and-

_Grouse Hood?_

It's a kind of bird.

_I know, but...Grouse?_

You see why he decided to be known as Robin almost as soon as he started school.

_Hey, if he's a Hood, why did your father agree to be roommates with him?_

Well, the original Red and Robin Hood were siblings, but he ran away from home when he was sixteen. His family has barely been back since. They're Hood enough for Sparrow and his father -and all the Merry Men- to claim succor occasionally when they're being chased by the authorities, but not Hood enough to bother the Wolves. Probably because both groups are outlaws. In any case, my father was fine with it. Both of them ended up being sort of the class clowns, actually.

_Really? Your father?_

It turns out that once you're with a bunch of other people with destinies, some of which they don't like either, your real personality comes out. Or something. That's what he said anyway.

_But he's so strict!_

Well, he's a teacher now. He has to be. Also-

_What?_

Nothing.

_Okay....So who was Scarlet Hood's roommate?_

Evelyn Queen.

_You mean..._

Raven's mother. The Evil Queen. Yes.

_Wow._

They actually got along pretty well. Oh, shoot.

_What?_

I just remembered. I have to tell you Red Riding Hood's backstory, too. It's important too.

 _You mean_ Scarlet Hood's _backstory?_

Ha ha. Point taken. Yes, Scarlet Hood. The original Red Riding Hood had a daughter named Crimson, who had a daughter named Garnet, and so forth until the present day with Cerise. The Red Riding Hood story is one of the only multi-generational tales. Red Riding Hood plays a new role in each generation. First she goes into the forest and meets the Wolf. A generation later, she sends her daughter into the woods with a basket of food for her mother, waiting for both of them to come out safe and sound after surviving the Wolf. And a generation later, she's in a cabin in the woods awaiting her granddaughter when the Wolf shows up. So Cerise won't finish her story when she graduates. She'll have to continue it a generation later, and _again_ another generation later. 

_Is that why Cerise is a Rebel?_

One of the reasons.

_How do you know?_

If you don't think I know her, why did you ask me?

_It was a rhetorical question!_

Anyway. Scarlet Hood's parents died when she was young, and she was raised by her grandmother, Cerise's great-grandmother. Everybody calls her Grandmother, even people who aren't related to her, although most Hoods are, one way or another. So Scarlet and Bad began their years at Ever After High. They got along better than any other Wolf and Hood before them. They even got assigned to do a project together once. 

_Really?_

Yes. I don't know what that teacher was thinking. Did she know nothing of the rivalry?!

 _Maybe she didn't. Maybe she hadn't had any experience with Wolves or Hoods before._

Maybe. Anyway, as time went on, Scarlet and Bad realized that, contrary to the opinion of their respective peoples, Wolves and Hoods weren't all that bad. They could actually be friendly with each other! And then came graduation. And the fulfillment of the Red Riding Hood story. 

_How soon after graduating did they do the story?_

The day after. 

_Wow...That's fast._

I guess everyone involved just wanted to get it over with. So Scarlet Hood followed the path into the forest, with a basket of food for her grandmother. And then Bad Wolf stepped out from behind a bush, in his wolf form. He looked at her and growled. Then he transformed into human form and asked, "Scarlet Hood, where are you going?"

_You're a really good storyteller, by the way._

Thanks. And she said, "Red! You're supposed to call me Red now!" See, now that she'd officially started her story, her name would be Red Riding Hood until the next Red Riding Hood completed _her_ story.

_I know how it works, Ramona. Half the teachers have started calling Ashlynn "Cinder" already._

Hey, what's your name going to be?

_My name?_

Yeah, the Twelve Dancing Princesses aren't given names in the story, are they?

_No...I'll probably get to keep my own name. You were saying?_

Right. So he said, "Okay, _Red Riding Hood._ Where are you going?" And she said, "I'm following this path to my grandmother's house." He said,"You know, the woods are really more interesting off the path. Why don't you check it out?" And she said, "Yes, but it's safer _on_ the path." And he said, "Look, there's some flowers over there. Why don't you pick some to bring to your grandmother?" And she said, "I'm not falling for this old trick. How old do you think I am, exactly?" So he said, "Also, there's a scorpion on the path ahead."

_A scorpion?_

Yeah. The flowers get a little cliche after a while. You have to think outside the box. The Wolf before my father used a corpse flower _on_ the path. Now that would have been interesting to watch.

_A corpse flower...._

We're getting off topic. My father said, "Plus, there's a patch of boot-eating mud on the path ahead. Or sneaker-eating. Any footwear, really. Basically, if you step in the mud ahead, it will eat your shoes. And did I mention the scorpion?"

_Okay...._

He's never been very subtle.

_I can tell._

Finally, Red Riding Hood went off the path, and the Big Bad Wolf went to Red's grandmother's house. He went in, Grandma hid in the closet-

_The closet?_

Yeah. We can only rely on miracles so much, you know. So Grandma hid in the closet, he hid under the covers, and waited for my m-Red Riding Hood to walk in. She came in, and they did the whole "what big eyes you have" thing, and that should have been it-the Wolf is killed. He must have felt terrible, thinking he had only minutes to live....You know, instead of the Wolf and Hood at Ever After High trying to kill each other, it would make much more sense for the Wolf to try to kill the Huntsman.

_Ramona!_

I'm just saying. Not that I actually want to kill Hunter or anything. But theoretically, another Wolf in my position might be tempted to...Stop looking at me like that! I'm not actually planning to assassinate him. Besides, I _am_ a Rebel.

 _Even though you never go to the Rebel meetings? Hey, why_ don't _you go to the Rebel meetings?_

I'll get to it. Maybe. Anyway, they dragged it out for as long as they could-"Oh, Grandmother, what a big nose you have!" "The better to smell you with, my dear!" Stuff like that. But eventually, they ran out of things to say, and the Huntsman came in. Then Red Riding Hood took out a smoke bomb and-

_She took out a smoke bomb? From where? Wait, why did she even have a smoke bomb?_

She had one in her basket. She'd learned how to make them in Baba Yaga's class, and she always carried a couple with her just in case the Merry Men tried to rob her.

_Smart idea. We should start doing that. Sparrow and his gang can be really annoying._

I'd like to see them try to rob me! Ha!

_Me too. You'd totally scare them off._

Thank you.

_So what happened when Red took out her smoke bomb?_

She threw it and yelled, "Fire!" Everyone ran out, and in all the confusion, my father ran away, the second Big Bad Wolf to survive the Red Riding Hood story, and the first to survive unscathed. Once the Huntsman saw he was gone, he left, and everyone went home.

_That's it?_

No. Far from it. You know, they never tell us what happens after the happily ever after, do they? 

_No..._

After the story was over, and they completed their destinies, the two of them began to meet. First he went to her, to thank her for saving his life. Then she ran into him in the forest. They began to set aside times and places to meet. They talked. They grew close.

_When you say close...how close do you mean?_

They got married in Wonderland.

_They...got married._

Yes.

_Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf._

Yes.

_Married._

Yes.

_In Wonderland._

Yes.

_Married._

You said that already.

 _I know. It's just...how? And who? And when?_ _A_ _nd how?_

They asked the Mad Hatter for help.

_Maddie's father? Maddie knows about this?_

Yes. Not until recently, though. He was friends with both of them. They thought long and hard about the ramifications of their decision, and how hard it would be, and would they feel the same way in ten years, and who they could trust. They eventually decided they could and would deal with it, whatever happened, yes, they would, and they decided to trust the Mad Hatter.

_Why him?_

Well, like I said, he was friends with both of them. Also, he's a Wonderlandian, and Wonderlandians aren't quite so...so _obsessed_ with destiny the way people from Ever After can be. At the same time, he wasn't likely to blackmail them, like, for example, the Cheshire Cat might. So the wedding was held in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter officiated, a friend of his, a white rabbit-a relative of Bunny's, I think-as witness, and then they went home.

_Home?_

Well, not the same home. Mom and Cerise live in a little house on the outskirts of Hood Hollow. Me and Dad live in a cabin in the middle of the Dark Forest. We sneak out to see each other...spend a few days at one house or the other...me and Cerise used to race to each other's house and see who got there first...never mind. Anyway, a couple of years later, I was born. They had no idea what to expect. A Wolf and a human had never had a child before. They didn't know what I would look like, or even if I would live. But, it turns out, apparently when you have a Wolf-were in human form and a regular human, you get me- mostly human-looking, but with wolf ears where regular ears should be, eyes that can see in the dark and turn yellow, the ability to run and jump and hear and smell like a wolf, and also to speak to and understand wolves and Wolves.

_Why do you say it like there's something wrong with that?_

Because I'm _not_ a Wolf! I'm half human! I'm not a full Wolf- I can't even transform!

_So? You can do everything else. You just said._

Yes, but...never mind.

_Your father spends most of his time in human form then?_

Yes, out of respect for Mom. Me and Cerise can understand him in Wolf form, but Mom can't. Well, at this point, she'd have a better idea than most people, but still.

_That makes sense._

Although he'll transform if he's being threatened. Or if he's threatening something. When me and Cerise were younger he would transform and give us rides.

_That sounds fun._

It was. Anyway. Where was I? Right. So Mom went to the Mad Hatter's Tea Shoppe and Haberdashery in Wonderland to give birth. She told her grandmother and the other people in Hood Hollow that her due date was later than it was, so they wouldn't wonder why she was traveling so close to giving birth. The Mad Hatter's wife helped her-

_The Mad Hatter's wife?_

Yeah. Maddie's mother. She died a few years later. 

_Oh._

And then I was born. Once they saw me, they knew my mother wouldn't be able to raise me in Hood Hollow, as they'd thought of possibly doing. I mean, they knew I would have Wolf features, but they'd hoped it would be something easier to hide, like claws, which could be trimmed. Ears are a lot harder to hide than claws. So they decided that Dad would bring me to the Dark Forest and raise me as a Wolf-the Big Bad Wolf, in fact. Most Wolves look mostly human in human form, but I told you about my father's cousin, so there was precedence. He would raise me separately from the other Wolves, so they wouldn't figure out I was half human. He told them my mother died when I was born. In the meanwhile, my mother went back to Hood Hollow and told them that the baby-me- had been stillborn. 

_Wow. That must have been so hard for them. Your father having to take care of a newborn baby all by himself, and your mother having to pretend that you died...._

It was hard. My father's sisters offered to help raise me, but he said no, because they would realize I'm half human. Sometimes one of my parents would be able to sneak away to the other's house, so Mom could spend time with me, but only sometimes. And then, when I was a year and a half old, Cerise was born.

_You're sisters._

Well, if Red Riding Hood is her mother, and Red Riding Hood is _my_ mother, than obviously.

_I know; it's just hard to wrap my head around. You never talk to each other! And when you do, you fight!_

The perfect fairy-tale antagonists, aren't we? We have to do a good job of pretending, so people won't get suspicious. Here at school, the only time we ever get to have a normal conversation is when we sneak out and talk to each other in the middle of the night. At home, we can meet up in the forest, or all of us will spend a few days by one of our houses. Not here. It's hard to pretend-normally we're so close. We didn't even want to dye the white streaks in our hair because we liked having that connection to each other. But that would draw attention, so the idea my parents came up with was that I could dye another streak of my hair, in a different color. That would take attention away from the white streak, and people would think both were dyed. Mom was like, "I can't believe we're _encouraging_ our daughter to dye her hair." 

_She has wolf ears like you too, doesn't she?_

Yes.

_Why didn't your father raise her too, instead of having to hide as a human?_

My parents realized that they couldn't get away with it again. For one thing, Dad already told his side that his wife had died. So Mom made a tiny cloak for Cerise. She told people that she was training Cerise for her destiny, starting really young. Also that Cerise was sick or cold a lot, so the cloak was to keep her warm. I heard her say once that she didn't expect the ruse to last a week, but somehow, it did. And here we are. 

_Wow. Just...Wow. Does anyone else know?_

Well, you, obviously. Maddie. Kitty-she saw Cerise's hood come off by accident once. Raven-Cerise told her. And the entire Hood Hollow and all the Wolves.

_Wait, what? I thought you kept it a secret from them!_

We did. They found out. Basically, last Yester Day, Cerise took Raven to talk to Mom because she wanted advice about being a Rebel. The Hoods saw Raven and panicked, since she's the Evil Queen's daughter. They were going to throw her in the river, but to save her, Cerise took off her hood and announced to everyone who her parents were. 

_Whoa._

Yes. They would have banished her, but she won the Basket Run.

_What is the-_

The Basket Run is a race. Hoods win by crossing the finish line first with their baskets. Wolves win by crossing the finish line with as many baskets as they can steal from the Hoods. Cerise won both ways-she had the most baskets _and_ she crossed the finish line first. So she got to decide her own fate, and she didn't banish herself, obviously.

_So...that's good, right? Now that the Hoods and Wolves know about you, you don't need to hide anymore, at least at home, surely?_

You'd think so, right? But me and my father still have to sneak in the back door, since if the Hoods saw us, they would freak out. And possibly the Wolves. And now Cerise can't go into the town anymore. And I had to transfer out of reform school, which, to be fair, I wasn't all that upset about.

_What does transferring out of reform school have to do with it?_

Well, my reform school is in the Dark Forest. Once they realized I wasn't a full Wolf, the Wolves, who live _in_ the Dark Forest, would have come after me, or at least some of them. So Dad quickly transferred me to Ever After High, where me and Cerise are safe...at least from the Wolves.

_Why did you go to reform school?_

It's...complicated.

_Never mind, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to._

It's fine; I figure I already told you all my other secrets, so I might as well tell you this one. But on one condition.

_What's that?_

That after I tell you why I went to reform school, you answer one question of mine.

_Um, sure._

Don't look so nervous. It's not so bad-just something I wonder about. Anyway, so why I went to reform school. My whole life, I've hated destiny. Look what it did to my family, look what my destiny is. And you want me to agree with it? No, thank you. So I've always argued with the teachers and acted out. And then, in eighth grade...to be honest, I was scared. Next year I'd be going to Ever After High, where Headmaster Grimm is. He's half the reason my family has to hide. My father has a job here, but I was still nervous. I had an idea. I would intentionally fail eighth grade and have to repeat it. Then me and Cerise would be able to enter Ever After High together, and also spend more time with each other. Except it backfired.

_What happened?_

Well, I did fail eighth grade, and I did have to repeat it, which is why I'm in the same grade as you and Cerise and not in the grade above us. But then the headmaster got involved. He said that he didn't want a student with a propensity for misbehavior and failure in his school, and I had to go to reform school to learn a lesson. So I did, and Cerise had to enter Ever After High all by herself. My father could have contested Grimm's decision, but we can't draw attention to ourselves. We're supposed to fly under the radar as much as possible. Headmaster Grimm has to think that my father supports him in destiny-which is the other reason he's strict. Otherwise he'd get suspicious. So off I went to reform school.

_Is not drawing attention to yourself the reason you don't go to the Rebel meetings?_

Yes. Openly declaring myself a Rebel would draw too much attention. It's bad enough Cerise already did-although _I_ support that. We don't need people wondering why all the Red Riding Hood characters are Rebels. 

_But you argue with most of the teachers about destiny! How can you say you're not a Rebel?_

I _am_ a Rebel. I can either not openly declare myself to be a Rebel, or I can not argue about destiny. I can't do both.

_Do your parents know that you intentionally failed eighth grade?_

No.

_You know, Ramona, you're brave._

I am?

_Yes. You were willing to fail and repeat a grade for your sister! How is that not brave?_

Well, it was also for me, you know. Thanks, I guess. So, the question I was going to ask you.

_Yes?_

Why are you a Royal?

_Why am I a Royal?_

Why are you a Royal? You know how awful destiny can be for the non-happily-ever-afters, like me. Are you really happy repeating your parents' story, who repeated _their_ parents' story, over and over and over? Why are you a Royal?

_For my sisters._

Your sisters?

_Yes. You can understand that, can't you? I have eleven older sisters, nine of whom have graduated. Some of them have princes they want to marry. Some of them have careers they'd like to do. But none of them can move on with their lives until we finish our story. You can't have twelve dancing princesses with only eleven princesses. If I become a Rebel, I'll be holding all my sisters back. If I don't fulfill the story, my sisters will be stuck in limbo forever. I have to complete our story, for their sake._

Whoa....I never thought of it that way. I guess this conversation has been an eye-opener for both of us.

_Yeah._

You know, my father's one of the only people who still call my mother Scarlet. I just felt like mentioning that. I don't know why.

_It's sweet._

I suppose.

_You know, if you want...I could try to help you. Like, cover for you if you want to talk to Cerise or something._

I...I would appreciate that....We both would. Thank you.

_It's not a problem....So, do you have any other shocking secrets to drop on me?_

No, this was the only one.

_Thank you for trusting me._

Thank you for...being trustworthy, I guess. If that makes sense.

_I know what you mean. So...good night._

Good night. 

**Author's Note:**

> A lot of this I headcanon, but I feel it makes sense. For example, if the Wolf's destiny is to die, presumably at least one will try to escape his destiny. The whole if-you-don't-sign-you-will-disappear thing isn't much of a threat if by signing they are basically guaranteeing they will die, or at least be severely injured. And presumably, at least some of the Royals have deeper reasons for being Royals besides for "It's destiny and everyone's always done it!" just like the Rebels have deeper reasons for being Rebels. Et cetera. Basically, I've thought way too much into this.  
> Thank you for reading!


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